RSU bursaries slashed

As the Ryerson Students’ Union lobbies for a tuition fee freeze, it has cut the amount of financial aid it offers.

The RSU has budgeted to spend thousands of dollars less for student bursaries this year than in previous years.

For the 2005/2006 term, $30,000 will be available to students as bursaries. Two years earlier, $45,000 of free money passed on to eligible students; last year, $35,000.

Chris Drew, vice-president finance and services, said that the RSU is thinking about the long-term benefits for students.

“What would really help students (instead of bursaries) was if tuition fees were even lower, so they can graduate with less debt,” Drew said.

Besides, he says, students can apply to the university for millions of dollars worth of bursaries. The university can foot the bill because it doesn’t incur the costs of lobbying for lower tuition fees or providing the financial resources for the dozens of campus groups.

“The RSU just doesn’t have the resources,” he said.

He said the RSU prefers to work with other student unions to lobby for reduced tuition.

“We can effect change within the provincial and federal governments by working with other students’ unions, and that has an overall effect of benefiting students,” he said.

The decrease in funding since 2004-2005 represents a 44 per cent decrease in funding per student. Now, with more students going after less money, the average bursary applicant will receive a smaller cheque.

However, the budget shows approximately $10,000 extra funding is available to student groups and event sponsors since cuts were made to bursaries.

“Really, the donation is really subject to how active or how initiative students are showing for various initiatives,” he said.

The RSU was unsuccessful in its campaign to freeze tuition last year. Fees for full-time students has gone up by four per cent, or eight per cent for graduate studies and business students.

“Essentially, the campaigns we’re leading are ‘Grants not Loans,’ or more financial aid for at-need students. That’s the best way we can help students at Ryerson,” said Drew.